Banding machine



Oct. 20, 1964 W. L. OWENS BANDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1963 WALTER L. OWENS BY a:

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,153,529 BANDING MACHINE Walter Lee @wens, 225 E. Vineyard St, Anderson, Ind. Filed Got. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 317,673 4 (Ilairns. (Q1. 254- 75) This invention relates to improvements in banding machines or tools used in applying bands to crates, boxes, stacks, bundles or the like.

More specifically, this invention relates to banding machines or tools which may be easily and readily positioned for use and which have replaceable parts which may be easily replaced when they become worn. This invention is an improvement over my prior invention of a Banding Machine, US. Patent 2,247,398.

It has been learned from experience that the positioning of the prior known type banding machines requires considerable attention and care. This is because the stationary or foot portions of these machines tend to move longitudinally and laterally of the banding means when the device is being used. Consequently, the banding process is slowed down and labor costs increase.

Furthermore, it has been found that the band grippers of prior known subject type banding machines become ineffective after considerable use. This is because the serrated or gripper surfaces or teeth become dull and will not grip the hand during the tensioning process. In these old devices generally the entire device has had to be replaced or the serrated surfaces or teeth had to be remachined to sharpen them.

One object of the invention is to provide a band tensioning tool which may be readily positioned for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banding tool which has a replaceable band gripper which may easily be replaced when worn or dull thereby making it unnecessary to discard the entire tool when the gripper portion becomes worn or dull.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a banding tool which abuts an edge of the object being handed whereby the tool will remain in position during the banding operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banding tool which is simple and inexpensive to construct and maintain and which is easy to use.

Other objects will become apparent from a reading of the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the device, showing the device ready for use;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the device in the operated position, showing the band tightened;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the device with the parts in the same relative positions as in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the device with the parts in the same relative positions as in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the device with the parts in the same relative positions as in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a section on the line dt of FIGURE 2, showing a stud disposed within a bearing portion; and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the device.

Referring to FIGURES 1-6, an operating handle or lever 1 is formed of metal or the like and is offset laterally at 2 whereby the hand operated end 3 is laterally in line with a stud 4 which is fixed laterally to the working end 5 of the lever I. The handle I is angled vertically downwardly slightly at its Working end 5 at 6. A strap or band receiver BR extends laterally from the working end 5 adjacent to but spaced somewhat from the stud A slot 8 is formed in the band receiver BR. The slot 8 divides the band receiver into a rounded portion 9 and a fiat sided portion 10. The rounded portion 9 has a fiattened surface 11 adjacent the upper slot opening in the band receiver BR as viewed in FIGURE 1. The lower side of the flat sided portion has a cut away area 12 adjacent the lower slot opening to receive a toothed or serrated gripper insert 13 which may be made of hardened steel or other substance with gripping properties. The gripper insert 13 is held in place by screws 14 and is shown as having teeth or grippers 15 at the edge defined by the lower surface of the insert and the slot opening.

A large foot piece 16 has a stud receiver or bearing portion 17 which fits over the stud 4 in a bearing relationship, the stud 4 being rotatable within the bearing portion 17. A flat portion 18 is fixed to the bearing portion 17 by its upper surface substantially tangentially thereto and is filleted 0r gusseted at 19 to strengthen the bond. The foot piece 16 is kept from sliding laterally oil the stud 4 by a washer 23 which is secured to the end of the stud 4 in any conventional manner. When the washer 23 is in place, there is an allowance of lateral freedom of movement for the bearing portion 17 on the stud 4 to preclude any binding between the foot piece 16 and the stud 4. The lower surface of the flat portion 18 has two toes 29, one at each of the foremost two corners.

In the alternative construction as in FIGURE 7, there is at the rearrnost end of the flat portion 18 a flange 21 extending downwardly from the flat portion 18 at substantially a right angle.

In both the FIGURES 1-6 and the FIGURE 7 construction, a serrated area 22 is disposed on the lower surface of the flat portion 18 and extends substantially one-half the length of the flat portion from the rear towards the foremost part.

USE

In use of the construction shown in FIGURES 16, the foot piece 16 is placed near the end b of a band B which has been loosely placed about an object to be banded O. The toe portions 24 straddle the end b of the band and rest on the object to be banded O and the serrated area 22 rests on the end b of the band B. The teeth of the serrated area 22 grip the band B and restrain it from sliding relatively to the foot piece 1&5. The band B extends through the toes 29, and around the object to be handed O. The toes 20 straddling the band B prevent the device from shifting laterally off the band during use. With the lever I in the position ready for use, as in FIG- URE 1, the other end b of the band B is fed into the slot 8 of the band receiver BR and is pulled taut about the object O by hand. When the band B has thus been pulled taut by hand, the end b is bent so that the portion immediately beyond the slot 8 is substantially adjacent the flattened surface 11 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. When these steps have been taken, the device is ready for operation.

The lever I is then pivoted counter clockwise as in FIGURE 1 about the foot piece 16, the stud 4 journaling in the bearing portion 17. The relatively large size of the foot piece 16 prevents it from rotating with the lever I, the toes 2t acting to stabilize the foot piece. The band receiver BR with the end b of the band disposed within the slot 8 swings arcuately about the foot piece. As the amount of arcuate displacement of the band receiver BR increases, the teeth 15 Of the gripper insert 13 grasp the band at the end b and pull it tight about the object O, the serrated area 22 gripping the end b of the band and restraining it from sliding or moving under the foot piece 16. FIGURE 2 shows the relative positions of the parts of the device when the lever 1 has been actuated and the band B has been tightened.

After the tightening process, the band B in its tightened condition is secured or clamped by any known means such as crimp clamps or by nailing the band B to the object to be banded O.

In using the modified form of the device shown in FTC URE 7, the first end 11 of the band is bent around an edge E of the object O. The foot piece 16 is then positioned against the edge E with the flange 21 disposed adjacent the first end b of the band and one wall w defining the edge and the flat portion 18 and the serrated area 22 disposed adjacent the other well W2 defining the edge and on the band end b The flange 21 helps position the device and also to hold the first end b of the band close to the wall W1 of the object to be banded thereby facilitating clamping of the band B after the tightening has been completed.

The constructions shown and described embody the invention in preferred forms, but it is intended that the disclosure be illustrative rather than definitive, the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A banding tool for stretching a band about an object, said tool comprising a lever; a stud extending substantially laterally from one end of the lever and fixed thereto; a foot piece pivotally mounted on the stud, said foot piece having a fiat portion with a front and a rear end, the underside of said fiat portion having a serrated area extending therefrom at the rear end and having toes extending therefrom at its front end whereby when said tool is in use the toes straddle a band to be stretched and said serrated area acts on a band to be stretched; a band receiver carried by the lever adjacent the stud and extending substantially parallel to it, said band receiver defining a slot to receive a band and having a cut away area adjacent one edge of the slot to receive a gripper; and a gripper secured in the cut away area to grip a band for stretching when the banding tool is in use.

2. A banding tool as described in claim 1 and including a flange extending at an angle from the rear end of the foot piece a distance greater than the amount of extension of the serrated area and the toes, said flange being adapted to position the tool for use when banding rectilinear objects.

3. A banding tool as described in claim 1 wherein said gripper is removably secured in the cut away area whereby it may be readily replaced.

4. A banding tool as described in claim 2 wherein said gripper is removably secured in the cut away area Whereby it may be readily replaced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,428,060 Reinboth Sept. 5, 1922 1,514,273 Von Schenk Nov. 4, 1924 2,154,762 McGregor et al Apr. 18, 1939 2,247,398 Owens July 1, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 252,252 Germany Oct. 17, 1912 

1. A BANDING TOOL FOR STRETCHING A BAND ABOUT AN OBJECT, SAID TOOL COMPRISING A LEVER; A STUD EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY LATERALLY FROM ONE END OF THE LEVER AND FIXED THERETO; A FOOT PIECE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE STUD, SAID FOOT PIECE HAVING A FLAT PORTION WITH A FRONT AND A REAR END, THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FLAT PORTION HAVING A SERRATED AREA EXTENDING THEREFROM AT THE REAR END AND HAVING TOES EXTENDING THEREFROM AT ITS FRONT END WHEREBY WHEN SAID TOOL IS IN USE THE TOES STRADDLE A BAND TO BE STRETCHED AND SAID SERRATED AREA ACTS ON A BAND TO BE STRETCHED; A BAND RECEIVER CARRIED BY THE LEVER ADJACENT THE STUD AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO IT, SAID BAND RECEIVER DEFINING A SLOT TO RECEIVE A BAND AND HAVING A CUT AWAY AREA ADJACENT ONE EDGE OF THE SLOT TO RECEIVE A GRIPPER; AND A GRIPPER SECURED IN THE CUT AWAY AREA TO GRIP A BAND FOR STRETCHING WHEN THE BANDING TOOL IS IN USE. 